Effort Additional Subsidized Fuel Quota For Fishermen, Coordinating KKP With Oil And Gas BPH And Pertamina

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) stated that it had coordinated with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH) and PT Pertamina (Persero) to ensure that fishermen could get an additional subsidized fuel quota.

"So in the past we asked each fishing fuel distribution agency not to build a ship at the fisheries port," said KKP Secretary General Antam Novambar in a Hearing Meeting (RDP) with Commission IV DPR RI quoted by Antara, Wednesday 7 September.

However, Antam admits that until now there has been no certainty about the additional subsidized fuel quota for fishermen.

Meanwhile, regarding non-subsidized fuel management for fishermen, KKP has coordinated with the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) so that fishermen or business actors can get non-subsidized fuel prices at special prices.

"For sure, we have coordinated to get fuel prices and an increase in quota for fishermen," he added.

On the other hand, Antam added that the government also continues to encourage the private sector and cooperatives to be able to build fish stations.

The government, he continued, also continues to build a system regarding the ownership of fishing vessels so that the process of distributing fuel can be faster, more targeted with a simpler and easier stage.

Antam said KKP is also committed to continuing to oversee the revised process of Presidential Regulation Number 191 of 2014 concerning the Provision, Distribution and Retail Selling Price of fuel, where fishermen with fishing vessels up to a size of 30 GT are subsidized fuel recipients.

"That's our commitment, so if someone gets or buys subsidized fuel above 30 GT, that's the supervisor at the stations who will take action. Because it's very likely to be sold again," he said.

In response to this, the Chairman of Commission IV of the DPR RI, Sub-Department of the Republic of Indonesia, said that his party asked the KKP to play an active role in monitoring together with SOEs to improve the distribution of fuel routes for fishing cooperatives.

This is necessary so that subsidized fuel can be right on target and the price is not toyed with interested persons.

"Especially in the seven locations where the Solar Program pilot project will be for Fishermen Cooperatives such as Loknga (Aceh), Deli Serdang (North Sumatra), Indramayu (West Java), Pekalongan and Semarang (Central Java), Surabaya (East Java) and East Lombok (NTB)," he said.

Commission IV, continued Sub-Department, also asked the KKP to recalculate and ensure that fishermen receive compensation assistance as a result of the increase in fuel prices.